08 - MOTORSPORT ROUND-UP - MOTORCYCLE

The 2015 MotoGP season will go down in history as one of the most hotly contested series both on and off track. A resurgent Valentino Rossi kept fans enthralled...

MotoGP – Yamaha rule

The 2015 MotoGP season will go down in history as one of the most hotly contested series both on and off track. A resurgent Valentino Rossi kept fans enthralled around the world with his incredible performance as he went head-to-head with Movistar Yamaha team mate Jorge Lorenzo. With just seven points separating them as they headed to the final round of the year, Valentino would be forced to start from the back of the grid after the now infamous clash with Marc Marquez, whilst Lorenzo would start from pole following a near perfect qualifying lap that saw him smash the circuit record.

The race would play out how much of the season did. Jorge did what he does best, put lap after lap of silky smooth riding in, with his lap time not fluctuating by more than a tenth of a second, whilst Valentino carved his way through the field with ease. However with Lorenzo taking the win, and Rossi fourth, it was enough to give the Spaniard his fifth world title.

With all new rules for next year, including a brand new tyre supplier, the 2016 season looks set to be equally as enthralling...

Almost the entire MotoGP class use the iconic gold and yellow suspension of Öhlins, making the Swedish equipment the weapon of choice for the world’s leading motorcycle racers.

In the smaller Moto 3 class, Danny Kent dominated the category to take his first World Championship title, and the first for Britain since Barry Sheene in 1977!

World Supersport – Super Sofuoglu

Although factory Kawasaki star Jonathan Rea dominated the year, he was run close at the end by the Öhlins equipped Ducati of Chas Davies, who marked the Bologna factory’s return to form with five victories and thirteen podiums on his way to second in the standings.

In the lower capacity World Supersport Championship, Öhlins rider Kenan Sofuoglu dominated to take five victories and a further four podiums to secure his fourth World Championship. Fellow Turk, Toprak Razgatlioglu proved a revelation in 2015, finishing off the European Superstock 600 podium just once.

FIM Endurance World Championship – Life in the old dog yet...

Although the Suzuki GSX-R1000 might be the oldest of the current crop of Superbikes, the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) proved that there is still life in the old dog by wrapping up both the Team and Rider Championships in the 2015 FIM Endurance World Championship. Fellow Öhlins shod teams, GMT 94 Yamaha and SRC Kawasaki finished second and third, with Yamaha wrapping up the Manufacturer title.

Around the World…

2015 once again proved a dominating year for Öhlins around the world, particularly in the UK where riders using the iconic gold and yellow suspension secured five titles. Leading the charge was Milwaukee Yamaha rider Josh Brookes who dominated the MCE British Superbike Championship on the all-new YZF-R1 to take his first title. In the Supersport category, Luke Stapleford secured the main title with Joe Collier taking the EVO Championship whilst in the Superstock 600 and 1000 series, Mason Law and Josh Elliott eased to victory on their Kawasaki’s. Stateside, the new MotoAmerica Championship proved an immediate success and Yamaha rider Cameron Beaubier took the title, just ahead of team mate Josh Hayes. In the Supersport class, JD Beach dominated on his YZF-R6.

Further success for the brand came throughout Europe, with young Markus Reiterberger wrapping up the IDM title in Germany aboard his BMW S1000RR, Kawasaki rider Greg LeBlanc becoming French Superbike Champion, Michelle Pirro wrapping up the Italian title on his Barni Racing Ducati, Morales Gómez securing further championships for Yamaha by winning the Spanish CEV and European Superbike titles. In Sweden, 17 year old Jesper Hubner became the youngest Champion in the Superbike class, taking the title in his debut year.

On the dirt, it was a successful year of speedway as British rider Tai Woffinden retained his World Champion status, whilst Emil Sayfutdinow became European Champion and Kyle Bickley the 125cc title – at the age of 12!